More Motrin

I wasn't going to join in fray, but I have to now. I kinda missed the original incident, which was centered on this ad for Motrin that many women found insulting. I was Tweeted this morning with a link to a parody of the ad, which I finally watched.

The ad caused much controversy with "mommybloggers." Whatever the hell that means. (I mean , honestly, do we have "daddybloggers?" So cute, the little mommies!) But the reaction to the reaction has reeled me in. The aforementioned parody link to me took a post by one Steve Hall on a site called AdGabber.

Maybe these guys, the writer and the commenters, are not sexist jerks, but they sure are making it hard to think otherwise. Hall's opener:

This is one of those thing's that causes one to scream, "Oh for fuck's sake!" Or better yet, "Jesus, fucking Christ!" Why the harsh language? Because, yet again, America has lost its sense of humor and has gotten its underwear up its crack over an innocuous Motrin ad which pokes fun at babywearing.

Those damn women and their refusal to agree that an advertisement is funny! We did marketing studies!

I'm picking on the AdGabber post because I can. Several commenters didn't see what was the big deal. Which is cool. Personally, I find the ad is mostly just tone deaf, not particularly insulting in and of itself. But you know what? I think women who watched it picked up on the attitude of the people who made it, which is patronizing, condescending and more of same from advertisers, who frequently forget their "demographic" is a diverse group of real people. A comment on the Hall post:

As the comments show, one can only ask WTF is the country coming to when damn near EVERYTHING pisses off SOMEBODY.

Yep. It's the end of civilization as we know it because we can't tuck everyone in the same little box. And people can express their opinions.

If the Motrin reaction seemed a bit over the top, put it in context with all the advertising that boxes women into one-dimensional stereotypes. Moms who obsess over germs on their counters.  Moms who just want their friends to think their house smells good. And they cook from scratch. Men who buy insurance for things their wives didn't know they bought. Ha, ha. Funny.

Dudes, have you not been paying attention? Did you miss a little theme that emerged during the  election? You know, the one with a female presidential candidate? And a hockey mom? Is it possible that women are -- I don't know -- sensitized to the concept of sexism?

Just maybe the Motrin ad was sort of picking at a scab. Let's just take a look-see at some of the opinions oozing out. Another comment:

And, in other news, there are kids starving in Africa. Perhaps we need to reassess our sources of outrage?

Yeah, OK.  Let's imply that women who blog about things that irritate them are superficial and  have no perspective on what is important in the world.  I'm sure mommybloggers can't be doing anything meaningful with their lives if they have time for this. Nice going. That's not sexist or condescending.

And this:

Wish more people would use the groundswell to communicate about the more serious issues of the day.

Uh, hello. Read any political blogs lately? Like, DailyKos for example? There are MOMS on there!! Can you believe?!?!  We just elected a president with "the groundswell."

And my absolute favorite:

I've refused to blog about this latest kerfuffle because I can't decide if it's a better case study of a brand understimating the potential ire of a select market (moms) or if its a better example of what happens when too many people think they have a right to be heard and the technology to broadcast themselves around the world.

Yep. Someone wrote that. "when too many people think they have a right to be heard."

That damned Internet! How dare the pajama-wearing, over-estrogened mob question the cleverness of advertising professionals? Those dumb bitches!

So Motrin pulled the ad and apologized. "Caved" as Hall put it. "Caved." As if Motrin had made a  powerful stand on some moral issue. It was an ADVERTISEMENT. To get people to BUY something. Which people didn't like and said so publically.

Better get used to it, boyz.
 

Comments

[Heather]

Janet, this is why I love you. You have said so much of what I've been trying to bring into focus. There's a lot I want to say about the whole Motrin tizzy, but I haven't had a chance yet.
I'm wondering if this will stifle some of the creativity used by marketers. I am by no means calling commercials high art. I am simply interested in what exactly what lesson did the people behind this campaign learn? Was it one that leads less risky endeavors or will they learn that perhaps it is better to review campaigns before a full launch. Time will tell, I guess.